Thursday, May 11, 2017

Demanding

Copies of The Sun were in rapid circulation around the BBC's Westminster offices this morning, with their scoop that 'Veteran presenter Nick Robinson is at war with BBC bosses after being left out of the election team.... '

'Former political editor Nick, 53, hosts Radio 4’s Today show and has been part of the BBC’s election coverage since 2001.
He has demanded a meeting with Jonathan Munro, the head of newsgathering, and James Harding, the director of news and current affairs.

'A source said: “Nick is really unhappy and downright confused. He wasn’t told in advance and only discovered when the line-up was announced earlier this week. He fired off a furious email to Jonathan to voice his disappointment. Nick also has serious questions about his future at the BBC. It’s very likely bosses wanted to try out younger talent and make their election line-up more diverse. It’s bonkers. Nick is the best political voice we have.”'

Nick tweets away on politics as if he still was the BBC's political editor. As well as presenting Today, he's recently been given a show-within-a-show on Radio 4's late night Sunday Westminster Hour, called Political Thinking, and has been allowed to impart thoughts on political broadcasting with Radio Times readers. Presenting the Today programme in the run-up to a General Election is very influential, requires concentration and bravery; presenting the morning after a General Election usually secures a few interviews that make it into the archives. Maybe Nick's worried about sharing them.